


Flipped

by gloamings



Series: Pepperony Week 2k14 [6]
Category: Iron Man (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Flirting, Pepper is the genius, Pepperony Week, Pre-Relationship, Tony is the PA
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-21
Updated: 2014-06-21
Packaged: 2018-02-05 13:35:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1820275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gloamings/pseuds/gloamings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Virginia "Pepper" Potts — genius, billionaire, playboy, and not quite a philanthropist. Tony Stark — her bright, young, and loyal PA, who somehow keeps her held together through the madness.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Flipped

**Author's Note:**

> Day 6 (Theme: Alternate Universe) of [Pepperony Week](http://pepperonyweek.tumblr.com/)!
> 
> A while ago, I made [this AU gifset](http://londowney.tumblr.com/post/85972353392/flipped-a-pepperony-au-part-1-virginia), and this is its companion fic.

Virginia Potts might be a genius, a prodigy, and a billionaire, but she still knew how to have a good time. There was a reason they called her Pepper, after all.

She first got the nickname when she was a teenager, after her first highly successful robotics demonstration. She had been the youngest presenter, and the only female -- something she took a lot of pride in. After taking questions from the crowd, a sleazy reporter had approached her as she left the stage.

“So,” he’d said, getting far too close to her for comfort, “that was a pretty impressive display there, missy. Why don’t you use that robot to make me a sandwich? Heavy on the mayo and light on the pepper, okay?”

He’d laughed, thrilled at his own joke.

She’d laughed too, pulling out the pepper spray in her purse and dousing him with it.

“ _Is this pepper light enough for you?!_ ” she’d shouted, and all the remaining reporters had rushed over to photograph it. She’d been the famous Pepper Potts ever since.

The nickname changed slightly in meaning as the years passed. The grown-up Pepper Potts was snarky, suave, and as hot as her nickname implied. She was spotted more at bars than in the library, taking home a variety of men and throwing some outrageous parties. She embraced the name more than ever now, and often tried to pick up guys with the line, “Wanna put a little spice in your life tonight?”

It almost always worked.

She had even tried it on her PA, Tony, back when he was still a junior accountant at Potts Industries. He’d rushed into her office, passing over several of his superiors, to inform her about an enormous error in that quarter’s figures. Turned out he was absolutely right, and she had promoted him on the spot, much to his confusion and eventual gratitude.

He was cute, he was smart, and he had the pluck to tell her what was actually going on in her own company, so she tried the line. He didn’t bite, but she figured that was probably for the best, seeing as she really wanted to keep him around -- and the last time she had slept with her PA, it had ended poorly for both of them.

Five years and a dozen more attempted pick-ups later, Tony was still working for Pepper as her PA. Much to both of their surprises, they worked well together: Pepper had the charisma and innovative insights to keep the stockholders satisfied, and Tony had a knack for scheduling, running press conferences, and reminding Pepper to do things like eat and sleep.

And as she stepped out of her house on Thursday evening, ready for a night on the town, she bumped right into Tony, who was standing outside her door with his arms full of paperwork.

“Ms Potts!” he said in surprise, stumbling backwards and adjusting his glasses. “I was just coming over to review the --” he glanced at her outfit, paused, and sighed.

“You’re going out _again_ , Ms Potts?” he said in a resigned tone, shaking his head, failing to repress a small smile in spite of himself.

“I go out _every_ night, Stark,” she said with a laugh, “You should know that better than anyone else. I’ll call ya!”

She stepped around him and started walking towards her car.

“But Ms Potts!” she heard Tony calling from behind her, running to catch up with her. “We were going to run through the presentation for the board of directors tomorrow.”

She turned around as he reached her, and she clapped him on the shoulders.

“I’ve been doing these meetings for a while, Tony,” she said, smiling reassuringly. “I can talk to the board in my _sleep_ if I have to. Relax!”

And though Tony looked anything but relaxed, she turned back around, got into the driver’s side of her Audi, and sped off for downtown.

Many hours and many more drinks later, Pepper was walking down the sidewalk with a particularly beautiful man on her arm. She was far too drunk to drive home, so she gave Tony a call.

“Tony! Say hi to Tony, Henry, Tony’s great,” she said as she held up the phone to her date.

“Ms Potts? Hello?”

“I _might_ be too drunk to drive home,” she said, putting the phone back to her ear, giggling.

“Oh my god, I’ll be right there.”

“You’re the best!!”

Ten minutes later, Pepper was in the car with Tony, and Henry was waving a pouting goodbye from the curb -- though Pepper made sure to get his number to call him later.

“Partying the night before the board of directors meeting,” Tony said as he drove them home. “Much better idea. What was I thinking,” he added dryly, glancing over at Pepper in the passenger seat.

“Oh lighten up, Tony, I’m not that drunk!” she said, barely managing to get the words out before laughing out loud.

Tony managed to get Pepper upstairs and into her bedroom relatively easily; he was beginning to wonder if she really was as drunk as she was acting.

“You really are great, Stark,” she said as she promptly dropped her dress to change into more comfy clothes. Tony turned around as soon as he saw she was stripping, though seeing Pepper naked was nothing new to him at this point. “Remind me to give you a raise sometime soon.”

“Oh, don’t worry," he said with a chuckle, "I will.”

A few more minutes and Pepper was tucked in bed and passed out, her arm flung out and hanging over the side of the bed. Before leaving, Tony sat down on the bed, watching her sleep, hoping she wouldn’t be too hungover for the 9 AM meeting.

He rested his hand on her outstretched arm and stroked it lightly, smiling to himself. Then, taking one last look and sighing, he left to go sleep in the guest bedroom -- no point in driving home when it was so late.

Pepper, who was neither as drunk nor as fast asleep as she was letting on, smiled to herself as Tony left. She pulled her arm back in and snuggled closer into the blankets, falling asleep to thoughts of how grateful she was to have Tony Stark in her life.

 


End file.
